Culinary ramblings of a mischievous cook. Recipes,pictures,diary entries and all things foodie.Follow a journey of life in the east Algarve, Portugal...

Wednesday, 25 July 2012

Three colours of Andalucía

Three super cool soups for a hot sultry summer meal.Try them separately or take three shots at it like I did.Its the no cook easy way to impress and all I needed was a "little help from my so called friends".Traditional recipes for making Andalucían* gazpachos, samorejo and ajo blanco came from Elizabeth Luards book "The food of Spain and Portugal" and a thoroughly non-authentic influence but nevertheless delicious beetroot gazpacho came from Sam and Sam Clark at their revered restaurant Moro in East London.I have meddled with the traditional samorejo and introduced some extra spice not in the original.The ajo blanco has a lovelytwist introduced by you´ve guessed it Yotam Ottolenghi.The traditional Andalucían*gazpacho is a poor man´s food,a fortifying bread-porridge served iced cold to cool the intensity of an Iberian summer.In its modern incarnation it is an elegant chilled tomato soup.By contrast, the gazpacho blanco has a thinner consistency.The infusion of almond milk heavily impregnated with garlic owes its pedigree, as so often in Andalucía*, to the sybaritic Moors.Elizabeth Luard warns us all to take heed "It has the kick of a mule" she says.

* Andalucia,Andalusia? Andalusia or Andalucía?

Andalucía is Spanish.It is pronounced"And-a-loo-see-a" by those who live in the south (Andalucía)and "And-a-loo-thee-a" (Castillian) by those who live in central and northern Spain.

Andalusia is English.It is pronounced"And-a-loo-see-a." When speaking in English it should always be written Àndalusia and should never be lisped!!!!

About Me

I´m a self-taught cook.From my childhood in Scotland through growing up in South East England, my mother was my formative influence. Holidays in Europe, America,Africa and Scandinavia fed me with culinary inspiration. Fifteen years of holidaying in Tavira, led me to up roots and follow the dream to live in Portugal. Here in Castro Marim we run a small guest house, Casa Rosada.Relocation has opened my eyes and taste buds to how recipes and their ingredients can change and develop when incorporated into another country´s food culture and how foreigners like myself adapt the local dishes,bringing a new slant to them.In the last three years I have been researching and cooking traditional Portugueses dishes and then inventing a modern twist to them. I´ve started this food blog so I can share new recipes and a slice of Algarvian life here at Casa Rosada here in Castro Marim.